When/how should I fire my accountant?

[Deleted member 222114]

I'm a little bit concerned about my accountant:
* He tends to forget to respond to my emails
* He gave me the wrong account number and reference for paying my VAT (luckily I double checked it and found the error)
* He occasionally gives misleading/incorrect information. (e.g. He told me that certain expenses can't be claimed so paid from pocket and didn't bother getting receipts, then he changed his mind and said that they CAN be expensed but I have no receipts.)
* He often doesn't know the answer to a question, tells me "he needs to do research", and then I never hear back from him unless I keep asking him over & over, and sometimes I get the misleading/incorrect version as mentioned above. Sometimes he doesn't quite seem sure (e.g. one day he tells me I need to register both my companies for VAT, then the next day he says it might not be necessary if only one of them exceeds the threshold, etc.)

Is this kind of thing normal, or do I have a bad accountant?

If I want to replace him, what do I need to do? (I've already given him codes to access all of my personal and business HMRC accounts, VAT, etc.) Do I ask him to hand over all of this?

Also I've been paying him monthly.. that money is gone, right?

 

[kevin.doran]

It's not often I suggest this outright but based on what you've said i'd say the time is now.

If you want to have a conversation with him re leaving then do so by all means but there's no real need as your new accountant can handle on your behalf if you prefer.

Fees - most likely, there may be some kind of small refund for y/e work not yet complete but I wouldn't count on it. Discuss this with your new accountant though as you don't want to end up paying twice of course.

So....got anyone new in mind??

 

[Paul_Rosser]

Sadly lots of accountants over a below par service especially when it comes to customer service and waiting 1/2 weeks for replies to emails is quite common across the industry.

Get recommendations from people before you jump to another accountant or you may find yourself in the same boat with a new one.

 

[UK Contractor Accountant]

Follow the link below for full details on changing Accountants.

Be sure you switch to an Accountant that comes on recommendation.

http://www.contractoruk.com/limited_companies/changing_your_it_contractor_accountant.html

 

[Ian J]

If I want to replace him, what do I need to do? (I've already given him codes to access all of my personal and business HMRC accounts, VAT, etc.) Do I ask him to hand over all of this?

No. Whoever you appoint to replace your accountant will handle all of the necessary paperwork etc.

Do a Google search for "changing your accountant" and you will come across loads of advice from various accounting firms although obviously they will all be after your business.

If you have friends with limited companies ask them if they recommend their own accountant so that you don't make the same mistake twice

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Is this kind of thing normal, or do I have a bad accountant?

I would hope it's not normal, and it's certainly not the level of service which my clients receive.

If I want to replace him, what do I need to do? (I've already given him codes to access all of my personal and business HMRC accounts, VAT, etc.) Do I ask him to hand over all of this?

Generally you'd notify him that you no longer require his services and your new accountant will obtain all necessary information direct from him.

All qualified accountants who are members of one of the accounting bodies have a hand-over procedure which they have to adhere to.

Do check your letter of engagement to be sure on the notice period.

Also I've been paying him monthly.. that money is gone, right?

It depends on exactly what you were paying for - this should be clearly stated in your letter of engagement.

 

[Mike Conroy]

most of your points are a reason to leave your accountant . however, some of the best accountants need to do reasearch on tax issues unless they are very simple.

 

[Jeremiah@RHJ Accountants]

Pretty much as everyone else has said if you are not happy with the service then leave now.

Your new accountant can handle the changeover process.

Make sure you speak to friends and family for accountant recommendations and also speak to a few different accountants to make sure you see who you get on with best and which service fits best for your business.

also read your letter of engagement in regards to refunds although i doubt you will get any!!

I wish you the best with your search.

 

[Philip Hoyle]

Sadly lots of accountants over a below par service especially when it comes to customer service and waiting 1/2 weeks for replies to emails is quite common across the industry.

I wouldn't say that accountancy is any worse (or better) than any other trade or profession. You'll always get some firms that are better/worse at customer service. Customers need to learn to walk away more often when they get bad service. Unfortunately a lot of people are blinded by marketing gimmicks, posh offices, salesmen, flash websites, etc. I see no reason why any prospective firm shouldn't let you meet the actual people who'll be doing your work, why not ask to meet them, rather than just the "figurehead" who signs up the new clients?

 

[Ola1]

Hi Tomahawk

How did you choose your accountant?

Did you do any checks on qualifications ?

Membership of a professional supervisory body ?

Have you any familiarity with these terms?

I ask because, you do appear to be describing a student in your OP

 

[Paul_Rosser]

I wouldn't say that accountancy is any worse (or better) than any other trade or profession.

I would have to disagree, apart from implementing email most of the traditional accountancy firms work in very much the same way as they have done for the past 50 years.

I could name at least 5 accountancy firms which think it's acceptable for clients to wait 2/3 weeks for a reply to emails and sadly their clients mostly think this is normal and so are happy to wait.

There are some forward thinking practices which have invested in systems like client portals which allow their clients to upload all their documents, receipts etc. but that's not normal across the industry.[/QUOTE]

 

[Deleted member 222114]

Hi Tomahawk

How did you choose your accountant?

Did you do any checks on qualifications ?

Membership of a professional supervisory body ?

Have you any familiarity with these terms?

I ask because, you do appear to be describing a student in your OP

To be honest, and this is embarrassing, but I did a local search and he was the first to show up in Google search results (via paying google for the sponsored spot). I had a new contract and I desperately needed to find someone to review my contract for IR35, so I was pressed on time.

He did seem legit though, and he told me about things I didn't know about (e.g. flat-rate discount for VAT), so I trusted him.

How do I check an accountant's qualifications?

 

[Scalloway]

There is contact details for most of the main UK accountancy bodies are here

http://www.local-accountants-uk.co.uk/articles/is-your-accountant-qualified.htm

 

[Deleted member 222114]

Oh, wow, haha I've been ignorant.

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out!

 

[Paul_Rosser]

Don't beat yourself up 99% of people pick their first accountant based on price or location.

 

[Fred_the_frog]

I wouldn't say that accountancy is any worse (or better) than any other trade or profession. You'll always get some firms that are better/worse at customer service. Customers need to learn to walk away more often when they get bad service. Unfortunately a lot of people are blinded by marketing gimmicks, posh offices, salesmen, flash websites, etc. I see no reason why any prospective firm shouldn't let you meet the actual people who'll be doing your work, why not ask to meet them, rather than just the "figurehead" who signs up the new clients?

Where I work the client's main contact is the manager, then I do the year end accounts from what the client gives us (as a student) then if I have any questions I either contact the client or the manager contacts the client. When I've done, the manager reviews it and deals with any other issues. I think that's how most firms work. For clients who just want year end accounts, it means the student is doing the bulk of the work and if you put me in front of a client I don't think I would instill much confidence haha.

Hi Tomahawk

How did you choose your accountant?

Did you do any checks on qualifications ?

Membership of a professional supervisory body ?

Have you any familiarity with these terms?

I ask because, you do appear to be describing a student in your OP

Have to disagree- sounds more like an unqualified accountant. Generally students work under a manager who is in contact with the client. So any questions that the student receives are passed to the manager who deals with them. Any work the student does is checked by the manager before it is sent to clients.

 

[Ola1]

That is how it should be, good for you, however one reason there are rules and enforcement of said rules is that its sometimes necessary in order to maintain standards, for example by ensuring that only members of an association that have been properly vetted, are released on to the public


When I say student, I do not refer to an "articled learner" like your good self, but an individual who might perhaps be learning/practising unsupervised, making it up or learning by trial an error on our good OPs affairs.

 

[Deleted member 222114]

Hmm, well I've been trying to call him to fire him and talk about his "satisfaction guarantee" since last week but he's not answering my calls. Yeah in retrospect, he did seem to exhibit more flash than substance. (Rented a meeting-room office in One Canada Square in Canary Wharf, uses a virtual assistant to answer the phone, etc.)

So how can I find an accountant that can help me? The problem is that my questions fall outside of the comfort zone of most accountants I talk to: I'm running 2 online businesses as well as having done some contracting work, I have things like international expenses & income, and also I'm a student so I want to figure out if I can fund my tuition via scholarship or grant from my company..

(Also my accounts are in a bit of a mess right now because one of my companies is registered for VAT, one of them isn't, and I have a backlog of expenses that I paid from my personal accounts when I had no idea what I was doing and I haven't sorted it all out yet.)

 

[Paul_Rosser]

You can either book an initial meeting with a few, go along and explain the situation and see if they are happy to engage you, or go on a recommendation for someone else.

Personally we use the LB Group and could not be happier with the level of customer service received.

 

[Ola1]

Hi tomahawk, don't worry about the office space, most accountants start very small,unless they get into partnership in a bigger partnership, in which case, their charges would be commensurate with the firms standing.

Just ask him to confirm his professional body and check with them that he is a member in good standing

 

[Newchodge]

If he is ignoring your calls and emails, simply find yourself a better accountant, preferably through personal recommendation followed by a full discussion, and ask them, as their first task, to obtain your paperwork from him.

 

[UK Contractor Accountant]

Refer to my previous post on a your seperate thread regarding funding for tuition fees.